Headaches mount for Farrell before summer tour
Jack Crowley has been ruled out of Ireland's July fixtures
- Published
Andy Farrell had already been planning for a summer without some of his key Ireland figures, but his hopes for a successful start to the inaugural Nations Championship have been dented by some significant injury news.
Having already missed the Six Nations, Andrew Porter has been ruled out. The loose-head prop has endured an injury-hit campaign, but after returning in time for Leinster's run to the Champions Cup final, he will miss the July games against Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
So, too, will Jack Crowley. Munster boss Clayton McMillan recently said a blood vessel issue in the fly-half's leg would likely rule him out of the early part of Ireland's tour, but it looks as though he will also miss a first appearance at the iconic Eden Park as Ireland renew their All Blacks rivalry.
Crowley's absence means Sam Prendergast, Harry Byrne and Ciaran Frawley will battle for the starting spot. Having lost the jersey to Crowley during the Six Nations, it could be a big summer for 23-year-old Prendergast.
Farrell has opted against resting the sizeable Ireland contingent he brought to Australia with the British and Irish Lions last year as he looks to ramp up preparations for next year's World Cup.
He has also recognised Connacht's impressive run of form under Stuart Lancaster by including uncapped trio Billy Bohan, Sam Illo and Sean Jansen.
Twenty-year-old Bohan, who was part of the Six Nations squad, has shown impressive maturity in his first season at senior level, while Illo has enjoyed his best run in the Westerners' team since making his debut in 2022.
And then there is Sean Jansen, who could be set for a breakout summer after a fantastic season in which he scored 10 tries.
New Zealand-born Jansen, who joined Connacht from Leicester in 2023, is known for his powerful ball-carrying and ranked third for tackles made (219) during the 2025-26 URC season.
The spread of players is noteworthy, too. There are 19 from Leinster but eight from Ulster and six from Connacht, reflecting their promising seasons, and only three from Munster.
